Former President and CEO Mann headlines Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame inductees with BC Games Society ties
VICTORIA – Former BC Games Society President and CEO Kelly Mann (Builder), who led the organization from 1999 to 2018, was officially inducted to the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night alongside three other individuals with a connection to the organization.
A total of four athletes, three builders, and a SID Thomas Media Award winner were inducted at the in-person event hosted at the Delta Ocean Pointe ballroom in Victoria. Joining Mann as inductees with a BC Games Society connection were President of the Victoria 2000 BC Summer Games Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Ashton (Builder), Team BC alum Hilary Caldwell (Athlete – Swimming), and BC Games and Team BC alum Ed Fairhurst (Athlete – Rugby).
Kelly Mann spent 26 years with the Society, beginning as an Event Manager in 1992 before taking over from Roger Skilling as CEO in 1999. As President and CEO, Mann oversaw the transformation of the BC Games from a recreational, all-ages event into one of the country’s premiere developmental multi-sport competitions. He worked with more than 50 communities and developed strategic alliances with provincial and national bodies to expand quality sport experiences for athletes, coaches, officials, parents, and volunteers in B.C.
Along with his many contributions as leader of the Society, Mann was also a co-founder of KidSport Victoria, a Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games ambassador, and served on numerous Boards, including the Victoria Harbour Cats Baseball Club, Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence, Sport Host Victoria, Telus Community Board and the BC Sport System Multi-Sport Organization Leadership Council.
An accomplished equestrian who competed for Canada at a pair of Olympic Games, Liz Ashton made enormous contributions to the B.C. sport sector after retiring as an athlete. Her many contributions as a sport volunteer and leader included serving as President of the Victoria 2000 BC Summer Games and working with Jim Reed and Roger Skillings to launch the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE).
Hilary Caldwell starred for Team BC as a swimmer at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in PEI, winning gold and bronze before going on to make her mark for Canada on the international stage. A two-time Olympian in 2012 and 2016, Caldwell added to her collection of World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games medals when she took home bronze for Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio.
Before he was an outstanding member of the Canadian Rugby National 15’s program, Ed Fairhurst attended both the BC Summer Games and the Canada Games with BC Rugby. Fairhurst attended both the Trail/Castlegar 1996 BC Summer Games and the Brandon 1997 Canada Summer Games.
The Class of 2024 will have their plaques hung on the walls of the Save on Food Memorial Centre, joining the 267 previous inductees to the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.
Read more about the all of the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees on the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame website.
